


A Whimsical Tragicomedy feat. Kiyota Nobunaga

by vanerz



Category: Slam Dunk
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-30
Updated: 2016-04-30
Packaged: 2018-05-31 20:00:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 12,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6485578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vanerz/pseuds/vanerz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He swallows deep, his eyes cast about frantically, alighting on the portraits of past principals... Kiyota cannot believe this is happening. This is how Kiyota ends up going to Shohoku High School. [repost of an old fic from 2011]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A repost of a fic written between 2008-2011, the long gap mostly due to my own lack of discipline, with minimal edits. It has a different structure to what I normally write, a short fic made up of short chapters, but despite this I've always had a soft spot for this fic. I hope you enjoy.
> 
> P.S. Yep, Mayuzumi's from Trauma Center 2.

**Part I. The End**

A gulp.

"Wait, no—"

He swallows deep, his eyes cast about frantically, alighting on the portraits of past principals, before deciding that they look even fiercer than Principal Mayuzumi, if that was even possible, and it's no use appealing to the principal on their behalf.

"Sensei, you can't—"

His throat seizes up again, he hears the hysteria clearly entering his voice. He can't believe that this is happening and that it will all - no, it won't! It can't!

"Please, sensei, give me another chance, it won't happen again, I'll... apologise, pay back—"

"I'm sorry, Kiyota-kun." Principal Mayuzumi says soothingly, in her sexy deep dark voice. He and Teruo and Kumai used to go hot for that voice, but now he only feels resentment and hate. How could he ever have thought that this old plasticked-up hag was hot? The way her tone of voice just sounds so correct, so perfectly consoling is cruel to Kiyota Nobunaga. She would never understand the amount of pain she has inflicted on people like him, and there must have been a lot with the way she's been able to practise - no, she will never, not with her straight As in the university entrance exams and her tenure at Harvard (announced so proudly in the school prospectus his family had been flicking through only a year before).

"...escalator school, so we have many students in our waiting list," Mayuzumi has been speaking all this time, and he barely catches the end of her sentence. But he can guess what will be coming next. They will try harder, achieve better grades, lead trouble-free school lives, make Kainan proud in ten or twenty years, and he? It's not like Kainan is short of basketball stars. He can see that in her eyes. Cast aside like trash. He'd thought that as a basketball team member, as a  _starter_ no less, he'd have gotten some special considerations, but no—

"I felt that it was appropriate to inform you of this before calling your parents in," Mayuzumi finishes, and looks at him intently, something flickering in her eyes. For a moment she seems almost like a person - not an untouchable deity, or a merciless demon. Kiyota blinks furiously, angry brows contorting his normally fair face, and when he opens his eyes, it's gone.

"Kiyota-kun, please do not treat this as a setback."

_Fuck! How can I not? I'm about to get expelled? I know it! Don't try to..._

"I know this was your first time, but in situations like this, the school has a one-strike policy."

_It wasn't me! Not my fault! I didn't think, I thought... how will I be the Super Player of Kainan now?..._

"I will gladly write up a letter of recommendation to any school you should wish to join. Your athletic talents are formidable and coveted by many."

_Then why didn't you try harder to keep me? Don't think I don't know the real reason I'm..._

"I hope you understand what you did and that you will endeavour to make amends. Good luck in your new school."

The finality of her tone washes over him even as he gives the office a good hard look, his last look, he realises. The basketball trophies are all displayed proudly in a cabinet to a side and yet he is being let go barely a month after their latest victory. If you'd told him then, during the awards ceremony of the Winter Inter-High, that it would be his last time playing with the team, he would have laughed in your face. But now, struggling to accept it, he looks anywhere but at her, unaware of his angry, hateful expression, his clenched fists, his shaking body; and his arms fall to his side in defeat. The silence in the office as she waits for him to exit drives the point home.

_It's over._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Changed a Mizushima Hiro reference to Sorimachi Takashi to make it more era-appropriate, among other things.

**Part II. Aftermath**

How does it feel to be expelled, Kiyota Nobunaga?

How does it feel to be unwanted?

You must have gone through application after application, trying to make yourself seem absolutely _irresistible_ to the top schools of each district in Japan. Without success. Sannoh, Aiwa, hell, even Toyotama was apparently too good for the likes of you. After all, if you were so great, it begs the question - why did Kainan let you go?

Why _did_ Kainan let you go? You hadn't thought that what happened would have caused _you_ to be punished. But then again, that's typical of you. You don't really think.

How does it feel to be ignored?

Seven weeks ago girls were tripping over each other to line up at your feet, squeal cutely and profess their love to you all at once. Now when you pass your ex-classmates on the street all you get is a giggle and a couple of whispers you are not meant to hear, before they casually switch to the next topic - oh, look at those shoes! Sorimachi Takashi is just so hot in his latest drama! Did you know that that's not actually his real name? What _are_ you going to wear to your date with Hiroshi?

How does it feel to be avoided?

You haven't seen your team in seven weeks. Not since your last ever basketball practice with them, when you told them of your expulsion. They took it pretty well, too well for your own liking, in fact. You thought you were at least buddies, when in fact you didn't know them at all. Even Jin has stopped contacting you, even though he has been constantly and thoroughly assuring you, when _you_ call _him_ , that it is due to cram classes for the exams. You can't help but scoff when he gets to this part. Exams, exams that ended two weeks ago.

How does it feel to looked down on?

You find yourself less and less able to face your parents with every passing day. Not because they are angry, or even disappointed, but because of their cheery optimism and unwavering support. It's suffocating and you're struck with the need to be away from it all. So you go out. Alone. And while you're so obviously different from the aimless riff-raff wandering the streets (you're even looking for a job), the friendly neighbourhood policeman doesn't think so. He warns you to stay off the streets and dismisses you without hearing any explanations. Is it your long hair or your overly-keen expression? No matter; in everybody's eyes you're guilty and no one's gonna prove you innocent.

And how does it feel to be constantly reminded that you're just a tool?

Contrary to popular belief, you are not free enough to lounge about outside all day. Coaches from other schools - not the top ones, of course, not even close - come calling regularly and you have to be on your best behaviour when they do. And surely these schools will treat you well, give you extra tuition for your missed two months of school? Alas, the teacher cannot afford to stay back, he has other duties, and more cannot be hired. The budget is to be better used somewhere else, fixing the pipes or refurbishing the cafeteria, anywhere but on the people it is meant for. Your parents always accept the prospectuses before thanking the coaches and escorting them to the door. You would throw them all out before they return.

**DING-DONG**

A pitter-patter of feet show that your parents were expecting this, and that it's time for you to get your butt downstairs and be a good boy again. You've long given up even feigning interest in these coaches and it shows, as you have no idea what to say when—

"Ho ho ho!" A light chuckle floats in from the hallway, and you freeze. "Sorry I'm late. There was a slight jam. I hope I didn't cause any inconveniences to your family."

You stand still and stare – as your parents hurriedly assure him that that was not the case, that there was no inconvenience – at the White-Haired Buddha, waddling into the room.


	3. Chapter 3

**Part III. New Start**

" _What do you want to make out of your life, Kiyota-kun?"_

Kiyota didn't, and doesn't know, but, as he looks up (up? Are there enough stories in the school for there to be an _up_?), past the pink cherry blossoms and the colourful fluttering streamers which welcome the new principal and staff, he knows is that it sure ain't this. The fact that Shohoku has a new principal in itself speaks of potential instabilities within the staff, which was never the case in Kainan. His old classmate Teruo's dad has been serving on the Board of Directors for 15 years and it will be the 20th year in her post for Principal Mayuzumi.

Shohoku High may have made it to second place in Kanagawa, but compared with Kainan the king its facilities fail woefully in comparison. The outdoors 25m pool would shrivel up with envy if it ever laid its eyes on Kainan's Olympic-sized, indoor, solar-panel-heated pool, with twice as many lanes, and fortnightly maintenance, and professional swimming coaches, and a team of dedicated scrubbers, and... and that is just the _pool_. The sports fields span several square kilometres and Kainan even has a gym. Not a place to play sports, but the ones where you work to increase your fitness, with the most up-to-date equipment. And the basketball court... the pride of Kainan, oddly enough, is spartan, but what it does have is the best. Kiyota wouldn't be surprised if the Shohoku people had – wait for it – flat basketballs.

Kainan doesn't just focus on sports, either. As it is affiliated with a university, seniors and sometimes even freshies are treated to regular talks by the students in university, so they know exactly what to expect. Every student's life is mapped out in front of them with only success in sight. Obviously, such a school would have high school fees, which only means that the school has more than enough money to furnish the classrooms, computer rooms, science laboratories, music rooms, art rooms... even the toilets sport that simple-but-obviously-expensive style.

And the uniform! Kiyota may have hated the Kainan uniform before, with its stuffy blazer and tie that he could never work out, and to be frank that shade of blue had never gone well with him, but he would gladly trade it back for the Shohoku uniform now. The fabric of his new uniform is stiff and chafes certain sensitive parts of his body. And even though it's only April, somehow the black uniform has absorbed enough heat to make Kainan's blazer seem like a fridge. Just imagine what it would be like during the actual, sweltering summer. And the last thing is the feeling you had when you donned it. Not the physical feeling, and besides, he already went over that anyway. Kiyota especially hates the fact that no one is in awe of him when he wears this uniform. They would gasp in awe and giggle when he walked by in his clean Kainan suit, but this traditional black uniform barely elicits a second glance. Kiyota Nobunaga, dropout of Kainan, is already regretting his decision to humour Anzai-sensei.

Because that's all it had ever been. He hadn't been amazed by the portly man's impressive yet gentle presence, or flattered at the fact that this rather-good basketball team (although he would die before actually admitting it) actually wanted him. He hadn't been persuaded by Anzai's fiery speech and his complete change of demeanour nor fuelled by that little bit of curiosity that had made him say " _what the hell, let's see how they did it"_. He had only been humouring the respectable White Buddha... and maybe his parents too.

But back to his problems. Sure, the uniform sucks, but it isn't the worst bit. Kiyota knows (and doesn't care) that he is probably being a little whiny about all this so far, but this last point is something that even people who had not been used to Kainan's facilities could identify with. Kiyota's grades and expulsion had made its merry way around the principals' offices of Kanagawa's best schools, and Anzai had had to pull a lot of strings to get Kiyota into Shohoku, and he _was_ grateful. But there was just this certain. Condition. That. Really. Pissed. Him...

"Hey! Don't just stand there ogling the school in the middle of the road, punk-...?"

Oh. That voice is familiar and grates at his ears, identifying itself easily, bringing a feeling of dread along with it. Kiyota can't stand it any more. Fists clenching tighter into his bag, he marches forwards resolutely, ignoring the protesting shouts from behind. He is so irate that he fails to notice the label on his bag slip out and flutter unceremoniously onto the ground.

* * *

' _Kiyota Nobunaga, Class 1-F_ ', the label reads, and the curious boy flips it over and over several times, playing with it. He's heard this name somewhere before, he's sure of it. Maybe he was a classmate in one of those cram classes that his parents made him go to, or maybe one of his parents' buddies' kids. Maybe they were classmates? No way, that guy's in the first year, and he squashes that thought as quickly as it came. Maybe... basketball? He's just a freshie, though, not old enough to have done anything memorable, or, indeed, for the boy to even have played with or against him.

"Hey!" his classmate yells, waving frantically, and he looks up. Crap. The teacher, his new form teacher, is slowly heading towards the classroom and every step she takes is one step further away from the boy. Essentially, if the boy doesn't hurry, he'll be late for class on his first day. Not exactly a good impression.

Crumpling the label and pocketing it, the boy runs as fast as his long legs can carry him, which, unfortunately, is not fast enough.

* * *

"Hey hey hey! Look who's finally here! Mitchy, you're late!" the redhead – so he's finally back from rehabilitation, Kiyota thinks with a mixture of feelings – shouts boisterously. He's doing pretty much nothing but gloating and jumping around which, frankly, is what Kiyota had expected of him anyway.

"Yeah, man, I was sent to the principal's office. Late on the first day to school," Mitsui replies, without a trace of apology in his voice. "You know, the new principal isn't here yet... she's still abroad, or something," he said, a little confusion still in his voice. Obviously without the central figurehead his punishment had been much less severe.

"Make sure there isn't a next time. I'll let it go this time," Miyagi says dismissively and turns away to the curly-haired manager girl, deflecting Mitsui's "Hey, you don't talk to your senio-" with an "I'm in the same year as you, idiot!" That really shuts Mitsui up and he indignantly stalks to the changing rooms to get ready.

Meanwhile, in the background, Rukawa has already changed, and is practising his shots, and another manager girl is taking down notes and encouraging him. A bunch of other nameless people are also there, although they pale in comparison to those four. All this Kiyota is watching and hearing from the windows overlooking the gym, feeling like there is no place for him and that he is very much alone. The Shohoku practice session is as disorganised as he'd thought it would be and Kiyota half wants to give up. In fact, he's already turning away, though his palm is still resting on the glass of the window.

"...K-iyo-ta Nobunaga..." His name floats up from the gym, through the windows, and Kiyota turns back, curious. He sees what looks like a piece of paper in the hands of that Sakuragi, with a now-changed Mitsui and Miyagi crowded around him. ' _My schoolbag label?!_ ', Kiyota thinks, and then what follows is an ' _oooohh... crap'_.

"Never heard of him," Sakuragi immediately deadpans and the ice between Kiyota and the Shohoku basketball team breaks, just for that moment. Kiyota's tempted to just go down there and beat his name into that monkey's head permanently, but the presence of the others stops him, and the ice reforms. He doesn't know whether to feel annoyed or relieved that his name was not recognised. Surely his reputation should precede him?

"Why?" Sakuragi continues. "What, you think he's from my old middle school or something? Is he good?"

"No, I've heard that name before, somewhere," Miyagi interjects thoughtfully. "I just can't think where. Might just well be basketball, you know. Maybe Ayako-chan will know. Let's ask her later, we've held off the start of practice long enough." He claps his hands and everybody stops, with the exception of Rukawa (Miyagi rolls his eyes and promises himself that next practice will be stricter). And so, just like that, practice starts.

* * *

Where the hell is Anzai? That's what Kiyota is thinking right now, confusedly watching the practice go smoothly without a director to guide it. It's been half an hour and the portly man has yet to show up, whereas by contrast Coach Takatou would be at practice even before his players! Kiyota wonders with a sting at his heart how the Kainan team is doing without him. Pretty good, he supposes. Coach Takatou would have gone scouting for new talents like he did the year before, and with Jin as captain...

His attention is brought back to the Shohoku gym as Sakuragi slams in a dunk effortlessly. Kiyota's heartbeat quickens and a humourless smile tugs at his lips; obviously, months spent in physio didn't impair his skills a bit. His hands are itching to get a feel for that ball, and only his pride is stopping him. He doesn't want to appear before them, especially now that they know. He never would have been able to keep it from them anyway.

It's pure torture to watch that glorious thing being tossed around, with no chance to get it, and so he turns around and walks away.


	4. Chapter 4

**Part IV. Kiyota Who?!**

"Kiyota Nobunaga? You mean the one from Kaina—?" Ayako asks, wiggling an eyebrow at them in confusion. She is immediately silenced by the sound of smothered laughter (Rukawa smirks), as the guys she's talking to wonders just how _that_ happened, and she leaves to supervise the new first-years training, rolling her eyes as she goes.

"Seriously, though, what if it _is_ him?" Mitsui asks after they're done. "I knew I knew that guy from somewhere! Any of you know anyone from Kainan? Maybe he got expelled, or his family decided to pull him out—" This results in another round of laughter, because seriously, who would want to pull out of _Kainan_?

"Dude, he's in the first year," Sakuragi says, jabbing a finger at the now-worn label (from so much finger-jabbing). "Says so right there. 1-F. You think that monkey was too dumb for school? Ha ha, like you, Mitch—"

"Shut up!" Mitsui's voice is suddenly louder, and his eyes are twitching. Sakuragi realises (at last) that this is a touchy subject for him, and, being his friend, decides to retreat. "Sorry, man, that just came out," he offers as an apology. ("Do'ahou," Rukawa says.)

"We can ask Anzai-sensei," Miyagi says hastily right after Rukawa, to prevent a fight. "Maybe he brought him to Shohoku, because he does all the recruiting stuff as you all know." Having not heard the insult, Sakuragi is grateful for the change of topic and nods before asking, "Where the hell is that old man today, anyway?"

"Don't go being rude to Anzai-sensei, you hear?" Mitsui tells him off immediately. "You know he's always busy the first few weeks of school! He trusts us to practise properly while he's off doing other things!" He pauses for a while, and then adds, "And I _can_ talk like this to you, because I'm still your senior!"

"For how long?!" Miyagi shoots back teasingly, but this time everybody knows it's a joke and they all laugh again.

"But you know, I don't want to wait a few weeks just to see if it's really that wild monkey," Sakuragi finally says. "Does he not know there's practice today or something? Why the hell would we need to look for someone in Kainan when we can just look for him ourselves?"

* * *

If he wasn't so angry, and focused on looking for Jin, Kiyota wouldn't be where he was right now, enduring whispers from the students streaming out of the school. He's still in his black Shohoku uniform, and he's leaning against the gate, waiting for Jin to come out. He'll wait as long as it takes.

And there he is.

"Kiyota!" Jin says, surprise etched all over his pretty little face. He looks the same as ever, his doe-like eyes as gentle and friendly as they had been last year. He looks a little more tired, and there are slight bags and black circles under his eyes - but, otherwise, he's just the same. "I haven't heard from you for ages! How've you been?"

"Rotting at home waiting for you, _senpai_ , and then I decided that that was too sad!" Kiyota snaps at him, and Jin's face falls.

"Chill, Kiyota, I told you I was busy with classes! It's not like you called me either, so why are you so angry?"

"Angry? Who's angry!?" Kiyota says testily, unaware that he's yelling. He is just frustrated that Jin isn't understanding what he's trying to say. The crowd that's gathered around the two starts to murmur, something interesting is going to happen! But only Jin notices them, and he tries to pacify Kiyota uneasily.

"You look like you want to kill something," Jin says with an uncertain smile. "What's eating you? Did I do something?"

Did he do something? _Did he do something?_ Kiyota takes a deep breath, and is about to give Jin just what he asked for, when – he realises that he doesn't want to lose this friend.

"No," he says sullenly, scuffing at something on the ground with his shiny new shoes. "Not you." The crowd was expecting something slightly more explosive, and you can hear it in the disappointed tone in their voices. Kiyota hears them now, and he turns on them.

"What're you looking at?!" he snarls, and is that a clenched fist? Jin cannot believe that this is really Kiyota Nobunaga in front of him. Where is the earnest, eager, puppyish boy of last year?

Later, when they've escaped the crowd, and are just sitting on a park bench, sipping drinks they bought from the vending machine opposite, Jin says abruptly, "You've changed." He immediately regrets saying it when Kiyota turns to him with a malevolent glance, although it disappears quickly and his handsome features return. Kiyota gives a deep sigh, and seems for all the world to be a million miles away. Then he straightens up and aims his empty can at the rubbish bin, scoring it with all the ease of an ace.

"You tell that to Teruo and Kumai, and we'll see who has," he says darkly, spitting out the names of his former friends, and turns to leave. "I have to go now. It was nice seeing you."

* * *

"Where were you, Nobu?" his father asks as he enters the apartment, and Kiyota replies with a noncommittal grunt before heading up the hall to his room. This apartment is so much smaller than the house they'd had when he was still attending Kainan, but his parents had insisted to move here 'because it was so much closer to Shohoku'. If everybody who went to Shohoku lived in such bum places like this it was no wonder that almost nobody famous came out of this school. Before he can disappear, though, his father stops him.

"Nobu." His voice is soft and he sounds tired, although Kiyota does not notice that. "Your mother and I have noticed a change in you, and we're not sure if we like it."

Kiyota snorts, and immediately stops. He didn't mean for the snort to come out, but it's now too late. His father is standing up and is walking towards him. Kiyota realises that his heart is thumping hard, and he looks back to see his father raise a hand...

His eyes widen in fear, and the elder man falters... and withdraws. Kiyota too takes a step backwards, deeper into the dark depths of the hallway, and father and son stare at each other, speechless.

_Have I really changed?_

Kiyota panics, and runs into his room, speeding like the devil himself is after him. His mind is in a rare clarity after being smothered by a poisonous mist all day and now it hits him what he'd just done. His father would never have hit him. What had he been thinking? Why did he run away? He sits on his bed, still and untouchable as an ice stalactite, and he can hear his parents talk. His father sounds disappointed and sad, and his mother tries to console him. It's only a temporary phase, she tells him resolutely. But is it?

Kiyota decides to ditch his homework and go to sleep. He just wants to get away from the world and go back to the times when he was just the Super Rookie of Kainan, liked by everybody and with no problems in the world except school. Just like everybody else. What Kiyota would give to be like any ordinary Kainan student now – any ordinary Kainan student with enough talent to be in the basketball team, that is.

How did things become this way?


	5. Chapter 5

**Part V. Boiling Point**

It's break time, and Kiyota is lounging on the rooftop, leaning against the railings and staring into the distance. There seems to be no rules against staying on the roof in this school and so he's taking advantage of that fact to the max. He's almost lost in his daydreams when suddenly, the sound of footsteps brings him back to the world.

"You Kiyota Nobunaga?" Kiyota recognises this voice; it's that guy from last time. And now he knows his name. Kiyota is so busted, but he knew it was coming anyway.

"Yeah. So?"

"Didn't see you at training," the guy says.

"Didn't want to go," Kiyota scoffs in return, tempted to flip him the bird and just turn away.

Mitsui, for his part, is unsure of what to do. This Kiyota Nobunaga is so different from the hopping idiot that slugged it out verbally with Sakuragi and Rukawa on the court last year, and yet so chillingly familiar. A few different things to say go through his mind before he eventually settles on one. "Don't quit basketball," he says, just plowing on with what he'd come to do. "Don't make the same mistake I did."

"Who's quitting?" Kiyota sneers quickly, a little taken aback that Mitsui is being so forward. He tries to think of a retort and focuses on processing Mitsui's last, ambiguous comment. Once, when he'd been curious about Shohoku's new third-year ace, he'd asked Maki-senpai about him and all the grisly details had come forth, albeit behind a layer of cloudy uncertainty. But now, everything clicks. "I'm not _you_ " instantly comes out, and while Kiyota doesn't regret those words, his heart does skip a beat at the wide-eyed shock on Mitsui's previously-friendly face, and he realises too late how poisonous the glare he'd unwittingly sent his senior was. It's too late for him to apologise, though, or even for Mitsui to see his uncertainty, because the third-year is already walking away stiffly, halfway to the door.

* * *

"Wild Monkey!" The shout travels quickly across the first-year corridor to its intended recipient and the now-thoroughly-grumpy Kiyota sighs. He's just so popular today. There can only be one person that voice belongs to, and he is just not up to facing Sakuragi Hanamichi today, if ever.

The aforementioned has by now fought his way through the throngs of confused freshmen, relishing at the fact that he is now their _senior_. And if that isn't all, Rukawa Kaede himself is following Sakuragi easily, his path through the crowd already cleared. His mere presence pacifies the more hot-headed first-years, who had been ready to jump Sakuragi in defence of their fellow freshman. It seems to Kiyota that Sakuragi is on a little bit of a power trip, as he has a wide, triumphant grin on his face, and it shows when he speaks again.

"Heard Mitchy went looking for you. Heard about what you said to him, too," Sakuragi says, making a violent gesture at the second sentence so that the onlookers cannot doubt the nature of what Kiyota said. "Why'd you talk to Mitchy like that? Weren't you taught to respect your seniors?" he continues loudly, eyes flashing ("It's not like _you_ respect me," Mitsui comments amusedly when he hears about it). Or, at least, Kiyota can imagine his eyes flashing, because he is still turned away.

Slowly, he turns around and stares at Sakuragi, although he does not immediately act. All this is happening too quickly for him to handle and he wishes that he could turn back time, make these sudden new enemies just apathetic bystanders or, even better still, worthy opponents. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, reviewing the morning meeting with Mitsui. The thought that he would have been together with Sakuragi and Rukawa in the second year, if he hadn't been caught, also crosses his mind in that short pause. Sakuragi doesn't take kindly to being ignored, however, and leans in; the sudden sight of Sakuragi's bright red mop and his less-than-flattering features when he opens his eyes again is enough to make Kiyota gag and push him away in shock.

Sakuragi is caught by surprise and sent flying. Of course, Rukawa dodges the flying body nimbly and effortlessly.

"What the fuck?!" Sakuragi exclaims as he pushes himself up, and now nobody can mistake the look in his eyes for anything but fiery anger. "You are really asking for it, Wild Monkey! Don't you want to play bas—"

He is cut off, though, by a huge **crack** ing punch as knuckle meets bone. Kiyota has covered the distance between them in a matter of milliseconds and punched him cleanly. Both boys are breathing heavily but waste no time. Kiyota is welcoming the chance to vent all his frustrations, and Sakuragi... well, for Sakuragi it's business as usual. They are soon fighting in the corridor, and all onlookers flee the scene. There's a right hook there, a side kick here, a block, a headbutt and another punch and then a kick between the legs.

Sakuragi gives a frightful howl as the wind is knocked out of him with that underhanded blow, but is back on his feet quicker than you can say 'teacher', which is incidentally what the few people left are saying. Shohoku High's Anti-Fight Brigade has arrived, with the big burly PE teacher Takano-sensei clamping his arms around Sakuragi, the tall, stringy Yoshitsuno-sensei taking care of Kiyota, Kakudo-sensei making sure Rukawa at the side doesn't try anything, and skinny Hino-sensei planting himself firmly between the three, shouting at them firmly at the top of his lungs,

"All right, boys! Stop! BREAK IT UP!"

* * *

When Kiyota swings his fist, Rukawa becomes instantly alert. His eyes open wide, and real time morphs into basketball-time. Voices are muffled and amplified at the same time, but Rukawa's long used to this and somehow picks up on the most important bits, knowing which voices to ignore. He has eyes only for the two fighters, for the power of their swings and the fire in their eyes.

Absently, whilst taking in all the action from his corner, he wonders why Kiyota threw the first blow. The do'ahou had been nothing but his usual idiot self, and Kiyota should have known enough about him to realise that he hadn't meant to be threatening. They'd come in peace with the aim of persuading him to join the basketball club – well, at least, Sakuragi had been forced by Miyagi to do so. Rukawa had just been curious to see how Kiyota was doing after being forced to repeat a year since he was a bastard like that. It had seemed to be going pretty well in the beginning, too, until the do'ahou ruined it by getting too close. But still, that hadn't warranted a punch, not even to Rukawa with his warped sense of justice.

Rukawa's had his fair share of brawls, and although he's not as good as Sakuragi and his army at fighting he can usually predict how people will move and react accordingly. He draws a complete blank for Kiyota each time, though, and has to admit that in fighting Sakuragi is the superior one. The two move in sync, alternately attacking and retreating as Kiyota attacks the small vital areas while Sakuragi holds him in a ferocious grapple. Rukawa's unaware of how close he really gets when he unconsciously approaches them to get a look at Kiyota's last desperate stand. As the cavalry finally comes to drag them all away from each other, he can't help but notice the fear in Kiyota's eyes. His body language screams wild and fierce and panicked, operating purely on instinct with no room for the mind, and willing to do anything to survive. During that moment in the hot-blooded fight, the gleaming whites of Kiyota's eyes remind Rukawa of a cornered, primal animal.


	6. Chapter 6

**Part VI. More than He Deserves**

"Resist, and the three-day suspension's gonna be light compared to what you do get!" the overly-keen Yoshitsuno-sensei threatens Kiyota, and the latter rolls his eyes (discreetly). There's no reason to treat them like criminals, even if they fought. Besides, don't fights happen all the time in Shohoku? These teachers should be long used to this by now.

The boys are manhandled to the principal's office, all the way from the other side of the building, which means that pretty much everybody sees them on their way there. Mitsui quirks his eyebrows at them from the biology lab and Miyagi gives them a disappointed nod from Maths. Whispers and gossip follow them to their destination, where the principal awaits. Ooooh... Kiyota can almost hear the scary music. Eventually, they arrive outside the room and Kakudo-sensei knocks. The vice-principal summons them in.

Kiyota has never actually seen the vice-principal before, and looks at him carefully, trying to discern what kind of man he is. He is bespectacled; like every other vice-president on Earth, it seems like; short, and a half-genial, half-serious expression flits alternately across his face. Kiyota deduces that he is a bit of a wimp. And after a bit more observation, in which he notes down his creased tie, receding hairline and frayed-looking trousers, Kiyota has lost all respect for him whatsoever.

"Sit," Vice-Principal Ishikawa says. It's only because the teachers push him down that Kiyota does. Rukawa does as well, out of his own volition, but the red-haired monkey is just that little bit slow and continues to stand.

"Wait old man, where's the principal?" he asks bluntly, leaning forward and spreading his long fingers out on the principal's desk. " _Sakuragi_!" Yoshitsuno-sensei admonishes and tries to pull him back, but without much effect.

"Away on a trip overseas," Ishikawa says, and Kiyota wants to say " _Still? Hasn't it been like three weeks?_ " But Ishikawa's tone is sharp, and Kiyota is not a fool, so he stuffs the impulse and just waits for the speech. Quirking his fiery eyebrows at the teachers, Sakuragi finally seats himself and Ishikawa starts.

"Well, boys," he says severely, adjusting his glasses, "fighting is a serious offence and Sakuragi-kun, Rukawa-kun, you two are both repeat offenders." (Kiyota isn't surprised.) He stares at them seriously from behind his plastic lenses and a flicker of something can be vaguely seen, like with Mayuzumi, but then his eyes harden. "Honestly, I expected much more from you both. You are now in your second year of high school and really should know better than to get involved in scuffles... almost every other day, it seems. Also, Kiyota-kun, I realise that you may have difficulties settling here in your new school, but violence is never the answer. You're already 16; you should know that. You are all suspended for a week, and use it well to reflect on your actions."

Ishikawa pauses for just the briefest moment, and then continues resolutely, "If this goes on, I will have to consider talking to Anzai-sensei about you being in the basketball team." Ishikawa really knows his students too well, as this last statement gets the desired reaction out of Rukawa. First, there is the subtle widening of the eyes, and the tightly pressed lips. Rukawa's lazy gaze turns sharp and for once he actually looks attentive outside of basketball. He looks thoughtful for a moment, and then, finally, slowly, says, "I didn't fight."

"I will listen to no excuses," Ishikawa has anticipated this and starts to say it even before Rukawa is finished. "I'll let the facts speak for themselves... what is it, Rukawa-kun?" For Rukawa's fox-like eyes are fully twitching and he looks about to vocalise something.

"I'm not injured," he says matter-of-factly, splaying his arms out in front of him. Their paleness is frankly quite alarming, but that isn't the point Rukawa's trying to make and eventually the vice-principal understands. Ishikawa's brows furrow; he approaches Rukawa and twists his arms around, and inspects his face while he's at it.

"I can take off my shirt if you want," Rukawa tells him bluntly and Ishikawa backs off. Holding his arms up to pacify him, the vice-principal concedes, "All right, Rukawa. I apologise. You can go." He takes another glance at Sakuragi and Kiyota, just to confirm that they have been fighting.

But Rukawa doesn't leave. Instead of being mollified, he looks even more irritated, if that is possible. He glances around and his gaze lingers on Kiyota. At that moment, Kiyota knows that he is royally fucked.

"He swung first." Rukawa points at Kiyota, and Kiyota is not in any bit surprised. Of course he'd stick up for his teammate.

" _He_ was threatening him," Rukawa continues, gesturing emotionlessly at the redhead to his right, and Kiyota blinks. _What?_

"You lying fox..." Sakuragi starts to snarl at him, before Rukawa gives him a not-so-subtle kick in the back of his shin. They exchange lightning-strike glares and clash mentally (the adults nearby are blissfully oblivious) before Rukawa deals the winning blow, giving Kiyota one look. Then they turn back to the rest of the world.

"That's the truth," Rukawa finishes monotonously, with Sakuragi subdued. "He got close to him, and he," Rukawa gestures at Kiyota now, "freaked out."

Sakuragi glowers at him, and it's obvious that he isn't too bright. Or maybe the foreign concept of the fox being unnecessarily nice is taking too long to process. At any rate, after another kick he finally coughs, looks at Kiyota with an irritated expression on his face and says, "Yeah! It was self-defence. Like in those cop shows."

The vice-principal peers at them for a long while, and they stare back without flinching. This seems to satisfy him, and he nods. "All right," he says. "Rukawa-kun, you may go. Sakuragi-kun, I am choosing not to punish you on the basis of your actions being in self-defence. However, future actions like this will not be tolerated." Of course, Sakuragi's brain has already switched off after the phrase ' _not to punish you_ ' and while he has a complacent smile on his face, none of the vice-principal's words actually enter his ears. He too leaves when told, and then the vice-principal turns to Kiyota. Kiyota is expecting a look of anger, or maybe disappointment, but what he gets is nothing at all.

"We gave you a chance, Kiyota. Remember that. Don't break the trust we have in you," Ishikawa says, looking at him through those frames that had seemed first so ridiculous, and then so stern, and now... And now, to Kiyota's dismay, the lack of emotion permeating through them makes them seem like a barrier, as if they were forcing him and his vice-principal apart. Evidently, this man is not the weakling Kiyota had thought he would be. Evidently, this man also likes to talk, as he has already begun giving Kiyota a speech while the latter's brain is processing this.

"So, Kiyota-kun, we're prepared to give you an offer," Kiyota hears, and immediately tunes in, semi-interested. "We can see that being forced to repeat a year is making you frustrated. You only took a month off school, right? That's not a lot to catch up on." Ishikawa talks without giving Kiyota any space to say anything, but that's just fine. "In around five to six weeks, we're going to give you an exam, which will be around the same level as the first-year end-of-year exams here. If you pass it with a 65 or higher, you can go up to the second year. We'll confirm the date later. Is that all right with you?" Ishikawa takes off his glasses and wipes them; maybe they have become foggy. Mundane though this action is, it triggers Kiyota's stunned brain into overdrive.

It's a chance to regain his lost position, a chance to return to where he belongs. Although he still won't be a proud student of Kainan with the stunning electric-blue blazer, at least his status will be elevated from a dumbnut to just a normal second-year.

"I'll have to give you a 3-day-suspension for the fight, as it's school policy. Use it to study well," Ishikawa finishes, putting his glasses back where they belong on his face. "And know that even when you get promoted, you'll have to study doubly hard to make up for what you missed."

And although Kiyota would like to say that he thanked his vice-principal profusely, giving him the full formal bowing treatment and thankful speech etc., in reality he is so stunned that he just sits there for a moment, before abruptly getting up and leaving.


	7. Chapter 7

**Part VII. The White-Haired Demon**

The three days pass quicker than he cares to admit. Kiyota isn't really sure just what he does in that three-day lull, but when he returns to Shohoku, his posture may be brazen, but he's still as unsure as before.

The moment he takes his first step into the halls of Shohoku High, though, he knows that things are different. His classmates, who once looked up to him, were afraid of him, or both, have done an abrupt about-face. He is finally recognised for who he is and whenever he enters a classroom, no, whenever he enters a room in general, he catches the tail-end of a conversation, and it's always about _him_. Many first-years look up at him in awe and he swears he's got even more girls looking at him now. This would all have been fine and dandy, but now that people have realised that he's had to repeat the year, the sniggers have increased as well. And behind every question there's always one question lurking: _If he was the Super Rookie of Kainan last year, why isn't he playing basketball here?_ It's always about the ball. Kiyota's frankly getting tired of it.

"Hey... Kiyota-kun?"

 _"What?"_ he says irritably. Just because it's refreshing for someone to finally have the balls to ask him something to his face doesn't mean that it's welcomed. Especially now.

Ayako holds her hands up in alarm and Kiyota belatedly realises who she is. The manager of Shohoku's basketball team, the older one with more experience anyway. His morals are screaming at him to apologise, but his pride counters with such a devastating attack to his feeling of self-worth that, in the end, he just says, simply, with hands up, "What?"

Ayako, to her credit, is unfazed.

"I hear you have an exam in a month," she says easily.

"Yes..." he concedes reluctantly. He can see where this conversation is going. "So?" She's probably going to strike a deal, to exchange help in school for rejoining the basketball team. Well no thank you very much to that. Kiyota isn't so stupid that he can't study on his own...

"Chill out," Ayako advises him. Years of acting as manager for teenage boys have given her a deep understanding of their behaviour, and she can practically see the barriers rising up around Kiyota's mind as he connects the dots. "I'm not here to make you join the basketball club. Though you're such a good player, I don't know why you wouldn't... but!" she adds hastily just as she sees that spark in his eyes. "I just wanted to offer you my services in tutoring, that's all. If you need any more persuading here are my grades." She takes out an unblemished folder from her schoolbag, her recent test grades and homework assignments neatly tucked in, and offers it to him.

Kiyota takes it and flips through slowly. Damn... he may have thought earlier that he wasn't stupid, but Ayako... Ayako was _smart_. Smart enough that Kiyota knew that she'd be able to get him to bend to anything she wanted (the fact that he really needed her help was noted, but conveniently ignored). Might as well say yes while the stakes were low.

"Fine," he says brusquely. "Whatever. But I can't join the basketball club now. I need to study for this exam."

It's a lame excuse, and he knows it, and Ayako's twinkling eyes as she nods and schedules their lessons (twice a week, starting this week, her place) tells him that she does too. It actually makes him feel a little bit guilty as he watches her retreating back.

* * *

It's been a month since the new school year has started, and two days since he's accepted Ayako's offer. Basketball practice is going on right now, but Kiyota isn't there. He can't go to practice; Ayako's first lesson is tomorrow, and he needs to study for the exam. Actually, who is he kidding. Kiyota is lounging on the rooftop, staring into the distance, at the first vestiges of orange appearing on the horizon. He was trying to read his Japanese History textbook a few hours ago, but none of the information was going in so he decided to take a nap instead. The textbook is currently flat on his bag under his head and his thoughts are a few months into the past. 

A creak as the door opens and slow, plodding footsteps brings Kiyota back to earth, from his millionth re-enactment of Kainan winning the Winter Inter-High back to something much less pleasant. He turns, brain already formulating a response to any of the possible people it could be – a snappy insult for his fellow students, conciliatory remarks for his teachers and grudging acknowledgement for Mr. Janitor. But the portly man who emerges is the person Kiyota had expected least. Well, more like not expected at all – he had thought it physically impossible for this person to be able to move his bulk up the multiple flights of stairs to the roof. And now Kiyota can't turn around and pretend not to have seen him now since it's clear that he already has, and to be rude to this man's face is something Kiyota just can't do.

While Kiyota is wrestling with what to do, Anzai decides to take the initiative. "Hello, Kiyota-kun," he greets him pleasantly, his small eyes crinkling up and his growing smile marking ridges into his tubby cheeks. Kiyota responds with a sullen muttered greeting and turns back towards the sunset, ears turning a slight shade of pink. Despite Anzai being entirely responsible for the fact that he still has a school to go to, Kiyota just doesn't want to talk to him. A conversation with him would be awkward. What would he say? _Oh, thanks for inviting me to this school, Anzai-sensei. To thank you I've made a bunch of new friends and have especially tried not to get into fights. I've also avoided probably the sole reason you brought me here in the first place. Truly can't thank you enough._

In Kiyota's reverie, he somehow fails to notice Anzai settling himself comfortably next to him. Actually, he has no idea how he missed that and it is quite a shock when he turns his head to find his large benefactor sitting right there. If he'd been the old Kainan Kiyota he'd have started hopping and yelling right about now.

Anzai speaks. "It's a nice sunset, isn't it?" he says conversationally.

"Yeah," Kiyota replies. It isn't a lie; the orange-turning-red is especially vivid today and there are no clouds to obscure the view.

"Sometimes, I wonder... if I made a mistake," Anzai continues as if that conversational development actually made sense. His eyes are fixed on the sunset, yet his words are fixated pointedly at Kiyota. Well, this wasn't exactly unexpected.

"Mhm," Kiyota replies noncommittally. Any more would only lead him further into the trap he sees Anzai weaving for him before his very eyes.

"I apologise, Kiyota-kun," Anzai sighs. "I was just thinking about a choice I had made. I once had a student like you, you know."

"Oh?" Kiyota manages just the right amount of interest for his answer not to sound sarcastic and over-enthusiastic. He's still wary about where the conversation is going.

"Yes," Anzai muses, eyes firmly facing forward. "I personally recruited him. I had high hopes for him, just like I have for you. He was incredibly skilled at basketball. It was his future, you know."

"Ah..." The parallels between this person (unless Anzai was pulling a variant of the 'my friend' trick) and Kiyota are clearly meant to be noticed. Because of this, Kiyota ignores them resolutely.

"But somewhere along the road, he went astray," Anzai continues. "I tried to help him. I approached him once to try to put him back on the right path. But he rejected my offer even though I know that it was the opposite of what he desperately wanted. I wonder why he did that?"

"Hmm." Kiyota actually has a pretty good idea, but he also knows that to 'enlighten' Anzai would just to be fall into his trap.

"What do _you_ want, Kiyota-kun?" Anzai turns to him, glasses glinting momentarily in the sunlight before he shifts and his jolly eyes become visible again.

"I dunno..." Kiyota says, making this the fifth non-reply he's given Anzai. He feels pretty bad now: though he has a pretty good idea of Anzai's motives, Anzai is still his senior and one to whom he owes a great debt at that. "I guess I want to pass my exam and get promoted to the second year. The principal's giving me a chance to promote," he amends and explains his answer to be more considerate, so that the conversation won't be so ridiculously one-sided.

"Mmmm. My student was focused on other goals too. Of course, they weren't nearly as important as your upcoming exam. Instead, he fell into the wrong crowd... he fell deeper and deeper." He pauses, as if waiting for a reaction from Kiyota, but there is none. So he continues. "That was when I resolved I wouldn't make the same mistake again. If I ever fell into the same situation, I would do anything to prevent it from happening." The last statement has an edge to it that makes Kiyota look back at him, just in time to see twin glints reflecting off the edge of his glasses frames. Anzai's hair even starts to fly upwards for good measure. Of course, in a matter of seconds, Kiyota's staring at the same old placid Buddha again.

 _Shit._ Now Kiyota knows why they once called Anzai-sensei the 'White-Haired Demon'.

His resolve begins to weaken. What is it with him and submitting to bespectacled people?

"Would you agree with me, Kiyota-kun?" Anzai's expression may be superficially pleasant, but now Kiyota can see the true evil that lurks beyond. His smiling eyes, creased by many wrinkles of fat, may seem jolly and genial to most, but to Kiyota they are cunning and devious (and also carry a risk of heart attack).

"...yes," he finally says, cursing at himself as he speaks. Why, why, why, why, why? Even if he did agree to this condition before, when Anzai came to his old house... it didn't mean that he liked it. "I guess."

_Kiyota Nobunaga, you spineless brat._


	8. Chapter 8

**Part VIII. We are Improving Slowly**

Well, this is awkward.

It's his first session with Ayako, and well, he'll be damned if the person next to him isn't Mitsui Hisashi. Kiyota had been under the impression that the lessons would be one-on-one, and the presence of one other (no, two actually) complicates this a great deal. Well, at least Mitsui hasn't mentioned their embarrassing encounter of a few weeks ago. Kiyota is actually kind of ashamed of that. It hadn't been the most mature thing to say. For the entire session, Kiyota just looks at his Japanese History textbook, scribbles a few things down and wishes fervently for it to be over.

Unfortunately, his next session is a mere two days later. After seeing his curriculum and testing his knowledge, Ayako has upped the sessions to three times a week for the next six weeks, which means a total of 17 more times he has to face Mitsui and Miyagi outside of basketball practice. But although his initial meeting with the two boys is awkward, Kiyota soon relaxes around them, even joining in with the banter between Mitsui and Miyagi while Ayako is out of the room. It doesn't hurt that both boys constantly crow about their academic prowess while seemingly giving the impression that academics are pointless anyway.

Right now, Miyagi is jeering at Mitsui and calling him an idiot for getting question 5b wrong. I mean, the answer was obviously transduction, not convection. Kiyota smirks and adds in a caveat about how convection isn't even biology anyway and Mitsui flushes before throwing out a weak Your Mom insult. Five minutes later, the situation is reversed and Mitsui blithely questions Miyagi's honour as the latter misremembers the quadratic equation. Kiyota isn't sure how he got so comfortable with these third-years, who should be, by all rights, on an untouchable pedestal in the social hierarchy. It pains him to admit that he's actually starting to look forward to these sessions now, although he'll jump off the roof before telling this to the others.

In the seventh session, Kiyota finally asks what's been on his mind the whole time.

"Why are you even here? Were you given a chance to retake the exam too and graduate or something?"

Mitsui scoffs and Kiyota immediately regrets his foolish assumption. "Naaaaaw," he replies, dragging the syllable out. "I'm just here because I'm dumb and I need classes to absorb what I just learnt."

"And... you...?"

"I'm dumb too," Miyagi says quickly and, after seeing the first strands of permed hair poke through the doorway, immediately grabs some books. Mitsui snorts, and Kiyota watches, befuddled, as the big bad Demon Captain of the basketball team hides his red face behind the book.

"Your book is upside down, dumbass." Mitsui taps Miyagi on the shoulder, before turning to Kiyota. "It's not hard to figure out." He gives Kiyota a conspiratorial smirk as Ayako comes over to check on their progress. His vague explanation instantly makes sense as (after turning the book right side up) Miyagi cracks the silliest grin Kiyota has ever seen in his life.

What a dope. Kiyota has to smother a snicker.

* * *

Reluctantly, Kiyota also keeps the promise he made to Anzai-sensei. The first practice had been a cesspool of awkwardness: a "This is Kiyota." from Ayako, a "Hmph." from himself and mumbled hellos from the rest of the basketball club. He is introduced to them, and promptly forgets half of their names. Slowly, though, it's been getting better. Although his off-court interaction with the rest of the team is still awkward, everything is forgotten on court, where the only thing that matters is whether you are a teammate or not and how much you want the ball.

Anzai has not forgotten that his position at Kainan was small forward, which puts him in direct competition with Rukawa Kaede for the starter's spot. And Kiyota has leapt into that competition with gusto. He may not be as tall as Rukawa, or as technically skilled, but he's pretty sure that he can jump higher and trick him. In a one-on-one, he can take him.

They face off every so often in practice, usually when the rest of the team is having water breaks, and although Kiyota loses most of the time (because of his long absence from basketball, he tells himself), he does dunk once over Rukawa. He will never forget the glee he felt at the expression on Rukawa's face. To him, it's the ultimate proof that his skills haven't left him yet. It takes all he has to physically stop himself from hopping around like the Redhead Monkey and pumping his fists into the air in triumph. The cheers and whistles from the audience don't hurt, either.

And so, that's his outstanding business with Rukawa settled. That just leaves...

Kiyota is towelling off after a post-practice shower when he hears footsteps behind him. Then someone clears his throat. Kiyota nearly jumps off the ground in surprise – all he's got clothing him is a towel round his waist! Still, it's better than nothing.

It's the Redhead Monkey, Sakuragi. (Fully clothed, thank god. Although, on second thought, this makes the situation a bit dicey...)

"What do you want?" Kiyota asks suspiciously. He hasn't forgotten their fight that pretty much started all of this, and suddenly it occurs to him – what if Sakuragi is looking to finish what he started? (Never mind that it was Kiyota that threw the first punch.) "Dude..." he starts, but is cut off.

Sakuragi looks uncomfortable. "I just wanted to say that..." he stops, his jaw working furiously. Either he's chewing some industrial-strength chewing gum, or he's finding this mighty difficult to say. Kiyota starts to relax and wisely keeps silent. He also puts on his shirt while Sakuragi struggles. No need to make this any more awkward.

Meanwhile, Sakuragi is cursing Ayako and Ryocchin with the fury of a thousand hornets.

_"Rukawa told me that you weren't exactly Mr. Gentleman when you talked to Kiyota!" Ayako-san had said furiously, poking a finger into his chest and looking up at him. "Sakuragi, you know Ryota told you to keep it civil!"_

_"Hey, it's not my fault, Ayako-san!" he'd exclaimed. "He started it, remember? It was self-defence!"_

_"Hey Hanamichi, knowing you, I'm pretty sure you did something to provoke him," Miyagi then interjected with a grin. "What Aya-chan is saying is that you should apologise."_

_"Apologise? Me? The genius?" Sakuragi couldn't believe it. "Ryocchin!" he whined. "He insulted my honour! If anything,_ he _should be apologising to_ me _!"_

_Miyagi sighed. And Sakuragi completely missed his subsequent smirk. "Hanamichi, don't you see? You gotta be the bigger man!" he said to him in earnest. "As captain, part of my responsibility is to make sure everybody fits in well. And as you know, Kiyota-kun hasn't exactly been doing that." He cast a baleful, long-suffering gaze at him for as long as maintaining manliness in front of Ayako allowed him to._

_Sakuragi paused. He had a feeling... "Ryocchin," he said suspiciously, "you need my help, don't you?"_

_Miyagi stiffened. "Of course- of course not!" he replied a bit too loudly. "I'm just saying that I think it would be good for the team, that's all!" He cast a sideways glance at Ayako, and Sakuragi_ understood _._

_"Oh ho ho ho..." he covered his mouth before turning a most nauseating gaze upon Miyagi. "I get it. Don't worry, Ryocchin!" he crowed. "You really owe me one with this though. And this genius doesn't forget to collect favours! Hahaha!" He stalked off, deciding to leave the two to finish up the moment that he, the genius Sakuragi, had undoubtedly just sweetened for his good Ryocchin._ _In_ _doing_ _so,_ _he_ _missed_ _their_ _shared_ _sniggers_ _and_ _subsequent_ _laughter._

It had seemed like a good idea to agree to their suggestion at the time, but actually having to follow through is something else entirely. As his split-second flashback ends, and he comes face-to-face with (a patiently waiting) Kiyota again, Sakuragi growls at his inner self. Well, you are a man, aren't you? Don't disappoint Ryocchin now!

"I just wanted to say that..." he starts again, "you know... two weeks ago, I might have..."

"It's fine," Kiyota interrupts. He's trying to make things less awkward between his acquaintances and himself, and Sakuragi's hesitation has ratcheted the awkwardness level up through the roof. "It was partially my fault, anyway."

_Partially? Why not entirely?_ But Sakuragi stifles a snort, and holds out a hand. Gotta give credit to the wild monkey for wanting to speed things up at least.

Kiyota shakes it.

* * *

For the first time, Kiyota is content with life. He's dealt with most of the unspoken things floating between him and his acquaintances (even if he could tell that the Redhead Monkey wasn't being entirely sincere), and he's been given another chance which he won't fuck up. He's tackling Biology and the Krebs cycle when his dad comes in. An uneasy smile flits across Kiyota's face – lots of unspoken things floating between them, definitely – and he turns to him.

"What is it, Da—?"

"Nobu, would it be better for you to get out of Shohoku?" his father asks. Kiyota stares at him dumbly.

"Wha—?"

"Maybe what you need is a change of environment?" his father plows on. "We sent an application to Kawashima High, in Hakodate... we know the school year's started, but it's still early. We're confident you can cope. If you still want to play basketball, their team has a decent reputation. And nobody will know who you are..."

"Dad. Dad!" Kiyota cannot believe what he's hearing. "Are you for real? _Hokkaido?_ Really?" He feels the scowl on his face growing and he knows his dad is looking at it too.

"Nobu, staying here isn't going to change anything. Jin-kun hasn't called lately. You need a new environment, to leave everything behind and start fresh." His father's voice is growing louder, and Kiyota has to follow suit to compensate and regain some ground in the conversation.

"Dad, I'm not moving to Hokkaido! I'm fine!" he shouts, standing up and slamming a hand on the desk. His dad jolts and Kiyota reflects that it probably hadn't been the best course of action.

"You keep saying you're fine, but your behaviour says otherwise!" his dad replies testily, folding his arms and standing up to his full height (which is still shorter than his son). "You're sullen, you haven't been hanging out with friends lately, you're getting into fights, you're getting suspended! We both know that you weren't like this in Kainan! I know there's an adjustment period, but this is really too much!"

"Dad, I'm fine!" Kiyota reiterates testily, although he doesn't feel the need to tell him exactly how fine. He continues, softer, "Can you leave me alone? I need to study."

Something in his dad's expression changes, and Kiyota is suddenly reminded of a time when he would tell his dad everything. When he was little, coming home from elementary school, his dad would always ask him how his day was, and Kiyota would faithfully report it down to the last detail. Obviously, things had changed, and Kiyota has just realised how much. His father leaves the room, and Kiyota sinks back into his chair, not feeling like studying at all anymore.

_"Nobu, how was school today?"_

_"Boring as always! I learned my 7 times table, Yamamoto-sensei gave us a ton of homework today! We read a story in English. And we learned more kanji in Japanese class. I can write 'ball' in kanji now! We played basketball in PE. I got a shot in, Dad! Takahashi-sensei said I was the highest jumper in the class! Oh, and I had to give Minami-chan my chocolate."_

_"Ha ha! I'm sure Minami-chan appreciated your gift a lot. Don't forget to eat your vegetables, Nobu."_

_"But Dad, I hate cucumbers..."_

_"Nobu, eat your cucumbers, and Mama will pack in two chocolates for your lunch tomorrow."_

_"...Hmph, and you have to tell me more about Magic Johnson!"_

_"Ha ha ha... sure, Nobu. Sure."_

_"All right! That's a promise! No going back on it now, Dad!"_


	9. Chapter 9

**Part IX. That Moment**

"Hey, wanna grab dinner?" Mitsui asks as the three boys pack up their books after yet another productive study session.

"Sorry, I can't make it," Miyagi answers. "Hotpot night tonight. I'm not going to miss that for anything in the world." He sends a sharp grin at the boys, a lovey-dovey smile at Ayako, and skips out the door.

"And you, Kiyota?" Mitsui presses. He's in a strange mood today, responding to insults halfheartedly and spending more time staring at the wall than actually reading his books or doing his work. Briefly, Kiyota wonders what's up, before shrugging. He's not going to say no to the chance of staying outside for a bit longer.

"Sure, let's go for ramen."

They both don't wait to dig in when the ramen arrives (tonkotsu ramen for Mitsui, shio ramen for Kiyota). The ramen is hot, though, and while that doesn't stop Mitsui from slurping it up like an old pro, Kiyota is forced to wait.

"What's up with you today, man?" he asks to break the silence.

Mitsui chews slowly, before answering, "Nothing much. I just have a lot on my mind."

"Hmm," Kiyota says sceptically, taking a sip of his soup. "I might be moving to Hokkaido," he abruptly adds.

"Really," Mitsui says, before remembering his manners and tacking on a "Why?".

"I don't know," Kiyota admits. Moodily, he swirls his noodles around in the soup with his chopsticks. "Okay, well, it's my parents mostly. They think I might do better in a new environment."

"Hmm." Mitsui takes another large bite of his ramen. "What, you don't want to leave our awesome school?"

"No, it's not that," Kiyota hastens to assure him. Shohoku, awesome? That'll be the day. "It's just so annoying," he explains huffily. "They're just making decisions without consulting me. I'd just appreciate it if they hinted about it beforehand before dropping it all on me!" That mini-rant had been a bit loud and attracts several stares. Cheeks burning, Kiyota looks down at his ramen and eats.

A few minutes later, Mitsui says, "I don't see why you're complaining, really."

"What?" Kiyota puts his chopsticks down and looks at him. "It's _Hokkaido_. That's another island! And they're not even talking about Sapporo. At least that's a city. Where they're looking, it's practically the countryside... And it's cold there!"

"And you could probably talk your parents out of it," Mitsui interrupts firmly. Kiyota stops talking and stares at him, slack-jawed, and Mitsui sighs.

"Look, your parents clearly care about you," he says. "From what you've said of them, they seem incredibly patient with you. They moved all the way here just so you could be closer to Shohoku." Mitsui counts off the points on his left fingers. "Don't think we haven't noticed your shiny new shoes as well. I'm sure they've done more than we know about.

"My parents, they just want me out of the house and working, earning money for them," Mitsui continues steadily. "They're not happy that I had to repeat the year. They almost weren't going to pay for my tuition." He snorts, and pushes his finished bowl of noodles away from him. "You're lucky, man."

Kiyota doesn't know what to say. So instead, he focuses on finishing up his bowl and they get the bill.

* * *

On the journey home, Kiyota is reconsidering his parents' and his own behaviour since this whole mess had started. He'd seen them as incredibly annoying and prying, but if you looked at it another way, it could probably be seen as love and support. He recalls his parents skimming through high school prospectuses even as he threw them all out, their moving day, them giving him his new shoes and him huffily putting them on just to please them, his mother cooking his favourite dish for dinner on his first day of school in Shohoku... and suddenly, Kiyota feels like the biggest douche alive.

Perhaps feeling guilty for his lecture earlier, Mitsui speaks. "So, how's your cramming going? Are you going to make it on time for your exam?"

"It's not cramming!" Kiyota retorts, then pauses. "Okay, maybe it is. It's going all right. Six out of eighteen sessions left, and we're two-thirds done with the curriculum. If I keep up my pace..."

"Well, you won't have much problem with that, then?" Mitsui says. "I mean, it's just like practising for sport. You have to put in a certain amount of effort every day to maintain your condition and skills, after all." Kiyota snorts, and Mitsui's eyelid twitches. "I heard that! All right, so they're completely different things, but you know that it's basically the same principle! Kind of."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Kiyota scoffs before his features fall into a calm smile.

They walk in silence for a bit longer, passing a group office workers raucously demanding entry to a karaoke venue, then street punks squatting in front of a convenience store, and then a couple on a date. They're looking at the sky and Kiyota follows their gaze.

"It wasn't supposed to happen this way," he says, still looking up. He doesn't know why he's telling _Mitsui_ of all people, but it's been in his chest long enough and he wants it out. "My friends and I were just messing around, and somewhere somebody found some alcohol. They got off scot-free, you know. I was just in the place at the wrong time." _And I didn't have the right parents, I guess._ "Good thing the person didn't press charges, or I'd be in juvvy."

Mitsui whistles. "I'd hate to see what you'd be like in juvvy." He sounds just about as interested in this change of topic as he was when Kiyota told him about moving to Hokkaido. Kiyota doesn't reply, but instead of it being awkward, the silence this time is comfortable.

"You should probably look back down, or you'll crash into a pole or something. Idiot," Mitsui's voice brings Kiyota back into the present. Kiyota throws him an incredulous gaze and rolls his eyes, but re-orients his gaze to the road ahead. "Way to ruin it, man. I was busy admiring the beauty of those stars."

"Are you serious?" Mitsui chuckles. "Listen to yourself! Admiring the beauty of the stars?"

"Hey! Don't diss something before you've tried it! I bet you've never properly looked at the stars in your life!"

"That – is true. But it doesn't make your hobby any less sissy!"

"God damn it Mitsui! It's not my hobby! And-" Kiyota scrabbles around for _something_ to say. But he's got nothing. At the same time, though, he wants to slap the smirk off Mitsui's face. So he changes the subject.

"By the way... I'm sorry about what I said. You know."

"Kiyota, what are you talking abou—?" It's Mitsui's turn to be incredulous. "Oh. _Oh._ Seriously, it's cool. What the hell, man... I forgot about that ages ago."

* * *

Kiyota knocks on the door of his dad's study and lets himself in. His dad has his glasses on and is staring at a bunch of papers, so he's actually working hard – but Kiyota has prepped himself for this, and he isn't going to let this get in his way.

"Dad," he says when his father looks up and meets his gaze. Kiyota makes sure to keep his expression as neutral as possible.

"I know that I've been rude to you these past few weeks." His dad's eyebrows rise. "I mean, I've been angry, I haven't been listening to you. But," better to spill it all out, really, "I don't want to move to Hokkaido. Umm. I have friends here, and Shohoku's really all right." OK, those two sentences were kind of lies. The first one less so. But moving on.

"In two weeks, I'm taking an exam to see if I can go back to being a second-year. Vice-principal Ishikawa made me this offer in response to the fight I got into a few weeks ago." He falters and grins. "Yeah. I know. Weird, right? But yeah. Anyway. So that's why I've been in my room a lot, studying so much. A sempai is tutoring me as well. She got really good grades last year, so..."

This is difficult. He's flushing as he flounders, and he's aware of how he must look, standing awkwardly in the middle of the study: a tall, gangly, angular teen with bad posture and a worse attitude. So he keeps his gaze resolutely away from his father's. Ah, would you look at that. Some things never change. Dad had always arranged those files in a particular way, according to colour...

"Nobu," his father says softly. Kiyota hears the sound of the chair being wheeled back, and turns to look. He sees his father pull off his glasses and set them roughly on his desk.

"It's all right, Nobu," his dad says, walking towards him. _Stay still, stay still, stay still_ , Kiyota chants to himself as his dad comes closer. He's not scared of his dad. He'll never be scared of his dad again. Because he's done nothing wrong, and he knows that his dad only wants the best for him. As his dad wraps his arms around him in a brief hug, Kiyota relaxes and returns it. He feels a pat on the back before the two withdraw. A relieved smile is on his father's face, and Kiyota mirrors it gratefully.

"Come," his father says. "Your mother and I got some good apples from the market just now. I'll cut a few up and we can all share it together."


	10. Chapter 10

**Part X. The Beginning**

"Good luck, dear."  
"Good luck, Nobu."

Kiyota nods before hurriedly turning away and walking out of his house. He doesn't want to make eye contact, afraid that his nervousness will show.

His last session with Ayako-sempai had been three days ago, and it hadn't been enough. He'd called yesterday night in a panic to go over some things with her and thankfully, she had been gracious enough to help him. For the whole night. Kiyota doesn't feel like he understands signal transduction any better, but now's not the time to dwell on it anymore.

It's just like in basketball. On the day of the game, you don't think about how you should have practised more last session. It's a pointless train of thought.

Mitsui texted him last night. The bastard didn't have class in the morning, and, as he'd succinctly informed Kiyota, wouldn't be bothered to wake up "at that damn time" to text him. He's "lucky" that Mitsui even bothered, actually. Yeah, whatever. What a dick, Kiyota thinks with a smirk.

Miyagi-sempai had cornered him after their last training. It had been very awkward as Miyagi had been earnest and serious, but all Kiyota could think about was his dopey Ayako face. Still, he appreciated the concern.

Anzai-sensei had merely nodded at him as he waddled slowly out of the gym.

As for the Redhead Monkey and the Fox, he's been avoiding them. As far as he's concerned, any interaction with them so close to the exam will only jeopardise his scores. Their stupidity could pass over to him like a disease, or something like that. Some part of Kiyota's mind knows that his fear is obviously untrue, but he isn't taking any chances. Not when it's such an important exam.

Finally arriving at the test room, he meets Yoshitsuno-sensei's eyes brashly.

"You ready, Kiyota-kun?" the older man says kindly, holding the door open for him.

Kiyota enters and walks confidently to the desk at the front of the classroom, giving the blackboard only a brief glance. He shrugs his bag to the ground and thumps his pencil case onto the table, before looking back at the teacher.

"Yeah. I am."

**THE END**


End file.
